Uptown “Word of Mouth”

Image courtesy of A Voce Columbus

Boasting a light-flooded interior, this sleek and handsome twin to A Voce Madison, which was previously home to Cafe Gray, commands attention. And rightfully so. Italophile chef Missy Robbins, most recently of the celebrated restaurant Spiaggia in Chicago, has come to NY to steer the A Voce ship and offer tasteful, “refined rustic” Italian to compliment the thoughtfully selected wine list by the charismatic and talented Olivier Flosse. The re-design of the space (also by David Rockwell) has repositioned the kitchen to allow for more expansive views of Central Park, as well as included a small private room dubbed La Tavola, enclosed behind panels of wine racks, and a private event space which can seat up to 66. It’s sophisticated and lean, and though thoughts of a modern conference room space may creep up as you sit back in your cream-colored Eames chair, hopefully they will soon dissipate upon delving into a dish of Spaghetti alla Chitarra: hand-made spaghetti with crab, leeks, lemon and sea urchin butter.

Charm + Substance at Tavern

Suzanne Goin’s latest addition to her Los Angeles restaurant empire takes shape at the Brentwood market/cafe/restaurant, Tavern. Matte earthy tones bring homey comforts to the space, which upon entering begins as a bakery-cafe then segues into a dressed up bar, before leading into the dining room, an atrium meets living room with upholstered chairs, a carpeted floor, and stylistic touches reminiscent of a muted Kelly Wearstler design. During the day, sunrays stream through the glassed-in ceiling, offering an airy garden-like feel to the room, further accented by the olive tree holding court in the center. The pictures below are testimony to the natural light flooding the space as each white plate glistens and even the hamburger bun shines.

Goin and her team have mastered Cal-French cuisine, incorporating classical technique into timeless international dishes while using a light, inspired hand to let the seasonal market produce make a statement. The tastes are balanced and undeniably fresh. We started with a beautiful smoked fish platter with juicy beefsteak heirloom tomatoes accompanied by rye toast baked in-house, followed by a Cobb salad of sorts and a fantastic burger, juicy and dressed with pungent fontina, and a side of crispy fries with herbed mayo. My citrusey, medium-bodied Hop Ottin IPA from Anderson Valley was the perfect “tavern” pairing, though I was first tempted by the very nice selection of wines by the glass to wash it down. We thought we’d curb our gluttony by ordering the Pecan Sticky Bun without Bacon (considering we already had the glorious pork product in our salad) but loved the inventive option in the sweet pastry. Though well-satiated after lunch, I wandered back to the market and browsed the various olive oils, safrron and spices as well as the giant chocolate chip cookies, questioning whether I might have room for one “to go,” before I caught glimpse of the man making homemade gnocchi behind the glass peep window. Truly a feast for the senses!

Smoked Fish Platter

Pecan Sticky Bun

Niman Ranch burger with Fontina

Prime Time in Carroll Gardens

Before you and your Italian neighbor know it, the gents behind Frankies 457 will have converted the entire block into a foodie mecca, replete with rustic Italian, courtyard dining, housemade olive oil, traditional homespun cocktails, and simple Bavarian – which takes form in their newest venture, the resto-saloon, Prime Meats….

Rarely early for dining occasions, I took the opportunity to stake out a front booth alongside the window looking out onto a mellow section of Court St. I received a warm and contented welcome from the staff, one which nearly verged on the reception I might expect upon arriving on a blistery night to a guest haus in the Alps. I indulged in it, taking my time perusing the cocktail list and appreciating moments of nostalgia before ordering up a Loganberry Scramble – reposado tequila, loganberry liqueur, lemon juice, agave. The drink is typically served on the rocks, but the barman obliged to make it for me up, as I have a fondness for tequila, chilled, neat. It did not disappoint. Round, with a hint of smokiness from the reposado, and balanced with the tart and juicy flavors from loganberry and lemon.

Loganberry Scramble (served up)

Bibb Lettuce with Pumpkin Seeds, Radish & Pumpkin Seed Oil

The food menu and wine and beer list delves deeper into the German-Austro country-style theme with some great selections; the spaetzle some of the best in the boroughs – creamy, cheesy and finished with fine herbs – and the hunters sausage – classic, gamey and hearty. Pictured above is a beautiful composed salad of delicate market bibb lettuce, lightly drizzled with pumpkin seed oil which lifted the salad out of its typical preparation, offering forth a nutty, citrus flavor profile.  All that’s needed now is a few rows of grape vines in the backyard and a small farm and the restaurants could be fully self-sustainable!

Rebirth of Cool

Walking down the narrow stretch of Cleveland Place where Kenmare and Lafayette intersect and form a triangle – which will hopefully one day morph into a miniature park – it would be quite easy to walk right past Veloce Club. Its neighbor, Eileen’s Cheesecake, speaks loudly while Veloce Club remains suave and cool, a modest and decidedly fresh welcoming in an otherwise barren desert, save from what Serge Becker’s team serves up cold at La Esquina and Select. As those who’ve watched the metamorphosis of this space over the past five years can attest, it has had a wealth of personalities: a wine bar, a crudo bar, a sushi joint, and a dessert bar. In its latest incarnation its identity has been realized (for now) and it finally feels comfortable in its own skin. The sophisticated, classic and relaxed atmosphere of the King Cole or Bemelmans is ever present, though the drinks and the trademark Veloce panini and tramezzini don’t come at uptown prices, and there are the tell-tale reminders of downtown edge, namely the vintage Vespa parked inside and modern art painting of George Washington.  The cocktails are classic favorites: the Negroni, the Manhattan and the Whiskey Sour to name a few, and are perfectly correct and delicious and a harbinger to hours of conversation in the soft leather booths. Veloce Club reminds us that as the evening cocktail hour beckons why overthink what has been tried and tested over the years and has come out winning: time-honored cocktail recipes, jazz, cheese sandwiches and tailored service. Bellissimo.

oohhh Babbo…..

I’ve had a crush on you since I moved to NY. And eight years later, you are still winning me over. If it was not the witty and personable barman then, it’s the same youthful spirited (though grown up) barman now.  If it not from the grilled octopus with limoncello vinaigrette or the sweet summer corn “farrotto” then, it’s assuredly from the spicy sausage mint love letters that you are serving me now. If it not a most momentous pairing of braised oxtail ravioli in brown butter paired with sweet Oloroso sherry then, it’s the outstanding, unexpected goose liver ravioli, doused in balsamic vinegar to the tinge of burnt, paired with 2001 Vin Santo now. The cool and understated older brother – handsome, confident, adventurous and unequivocally timeless, you inspire an evening of self-appreciation and worthy indulgence – don’t change a thing.

The Comfort of Classic

On more than several occasions, I have been asked by friends to join for dinner during their mother’s visit to NY. And on more than several occasions the preferred restaurant of choice is Gramercy Tavern. I never hesitate for a moment before confirming it’s a great idea and that their mother (even if I haven’t yet met her) will assuredly like it. On a blistery Sunday eve in December, early eve, this is where I happily found myself, beginning at the bar amongst a vivacious crowd, candied pecans, and a glass of perfectly complex ‘96 Berres, Auslese Riesling from the Mosel.

The immediate environ offered homey comforts and smells, a faint cloud of honey and sauteed shallots reminiscent of  mandatory Sunday night family supper, with a subtle breeze of Manhattan sophistication to perk the senses. If my company wasn’t so delightful, I might have lost myself in the wine list longer, drifting off to Hungary for the Kiralyudvar Tokaji Sec before cruising back stateside to Napa for Sine Qua Non Grenache, but promptly selected a medium-body Northern Italian Lagrein and began feasting my eyes upon the menu with a serious appetite for the hearty and wholesome dishes one only craves in the brisk of winter.

What is to love, amongst many things, is the way each dish reads (and delivers) as an uplifted, inspired classic, a creation beginning from the traditional and further embellished with the most complimentary and essential accessories: parsnip soup with romanesco, calamari and carrot salad with preserved lemon dressing, toasted heirloom cauliflower alongside almonds, capers and lemons. Satiating and healthful, not overly fussed – dishes infact, that Mom would dress the table with family-style, lovingly and proudly. The entrees were the stars of the evening, notably the the arctic char (pictured) cooked to a turn and suggestive of the prettiest and most delicate peach rose, and the house-made smoked kielbasa with sauerkraut and grain mustard, as juicy and flavorful as if hailing from the farm down the road. We all concurred that apple pie would be the most fitting finale for this occasion and my dining partners went as far as to order the hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and served with a cinnamon stick stirrer. When there is no place to go and it feels like home, this is seemingly quite a natural choice.

Williamsburg Rising

Walter Foods, a recently opened restaurant on a stretch of land in Billyburg with not all that many offerings for gastronomic splendor, is exactly what it should be. A neighborhood joint, a pub, a bustling bistro – call it what you’d like – it’s a lesson in aligning simplicity and honesty with food and service in a comfortable and well-dressed space. Blending the warm tones of an English gastropub with a menu of American classics, Walter Foods delivers for a marked NY crowd sans attitude. A cocktail list featuring classics that “Sinatra would so desire after a show,” such as a Tom Collins, Gimlet, and Manhattan debuts at the bar. At the table, dishes that delightfully fulfill comfort cravings such as French Dip (Filet Mignon with horseradish sauce), Pigs in a blanket (seemingly en vogue this Fall on restaurant menus), Fried 1/2 Chicken with spicy honey, and a Lobster Club on Pullman bread (nothing wrong with this at $16) are a must for the table as are the two spoken desserts. On the nights I was there it was a painfully good chocolate banana bread pudding and an apple crisp. The tiny box of a kitchen with Justin Ernsberger at the helm further enhances the charm of the space, and as the local bus tugs along outside on Grand Street and I sink into my forest green leather banquette, there is a distinct impression of old meets new New York.

Pigs in a blanket

Solex Revamp

Come Autumn in New York there are dozens of restaurants opening alongside newly opened restaurants perfecting their role in the culinary landscape.  French wine bar, Solex, in the East Village has recently redesigned its menu to emphasize the role of the “pizzette”. Italian sandwich is to panini what French pizza is to pizzette. And there is noone in the city serving up pies like these from a blazing brick oven. Nestled onto perfectly crisp layers of dough are toppings such as, carmelized onion, (pictured below), escargot-parsley-garlic, tomato, raclette, and mushroom.  Minimalist menu descriptors conceal the intricacies of flavor in each one.

Not to be overlooked are the other small dishes on the menu, especially the golf-ball size gougeres. Popover-like, these doughy, eggy, savory creations encrusted with a baked layer of gruyere are ethereal. The steak tartare, dosed heavy with worcestershire and served alongside frites with a mysterious curry-sugar dust, also comes in strong. The merging of a sharp, sleek space serving humble, comforting plates of sweet and salty creations and terroir-driven wines will capture the hearts of Francophiles and Francophobes alike.

Follow the Brick Road

Thai chile paste is to heat what Szechuan chile oil is to fire. Both fiercely pump natural endorphins and can challenge Red Bull’s synthetic energy any day. And both are equally addictive. I think my lips are still burning from the meal I recently had at Shui Hu Ju in Hong Kong’s SOHO district. Just up the hill from a boisterous intersection on a narrow brick-laden slope (a treacherous path for pumps, ladies…) this small gem of a restaurant, is a clandestine, sultry and spicy hideout.

Hot and sticky from the summer heat, the carafe of Vodka, Prosecco and Lychee cocktail chilling in a bucket on ice devilishly smiled at me as the onset of Northern style Chinese dishes arrived: Abalone served in their glistening shell with pickled threads of black seaweed, okra with wasabi and soy sauce, fiery crunchy squid served with golden garlic aioli, and deep-fried sliced lamb shank with a crunchy layer of fatty skin (still dreaming about this). Nestled in a corner table amidst traditional Chinese wood carvings and artifacts, I felt like I was dining in someone’s home. And, each dish was served on a special antique platter which furthermore enhanced that sentiment. Already heaving from the crispy squid and generously drinking my lychee elixir to cool off, a big bowl of deep fried black chicken with Szechuan chili arrived (pictured below) and the games continued – round two. A plate of green crunchy melon with ginger shreds was placed beside the chicken for palate chasing amidst bites, which I thought was wonderful. I had eaten a similar Szechuan chili chicken dish in New York before, and without the heat and at laughably expensive prices, I can’t say that I was inspired to order it again. And, it wasn’t prepared with black chicken the way this one was. Literally, skin, bones and meat of this special breed called the silky fowl are black (though it has white feathers), and it is believed to be healthier than other breeds with its additional dose of anti-oxidants. Though I couldn’t really determine whether or not the chicken was that much tastier than white chicken because of the overpowering chili flavors, its an alluring idea and made for a both an aesthetically pleasing and mouth-teasing, delicious dish. With a bit more room left, we polished off mango custard for dessert and prepared ourselves for the teeming Friday night madness on the streets below, endorphins still bursting!

“Mountain, Ocean, Sun” – in a burger?

Perhaps the acronym for the Japanese burger chain, MOS, to signify its love for people and nature, is slightly far-stretched but if that’s their secret formula it works. I heard about this burger chain while in Thailand and have to admit that I was rather intrigued – Japanese burgers? I said to myself with images of the tidy lines formed before boarding a Japan Air flight and a poppy Sailor Moon-esque Ronald McDonald in my head. Not so often do I get too turned on by the idea of burgers unless its the roquefort smothered, bacon-fat induced creation served up by the Spotted Pig, but this time I was intent on making a visit. So in the 90 degree heat, I headed over to the bustling food court within Siam Paragon in Bangkok, telling myself, Oh, I’ll just have a bite. I soon learned why BK and McDo only had a few scattered tables when MOS had a line forming (yes, it was an organized line). I’d intended on going for the classic hamburger with french fries set but the words of my friend that the spicy MOS burger was the best echoed and I figured in Thailand, where there’s always an extra dose of heat, I’d go for the spicy version. So with my order (fries and a Sprite at 119 baht or $3.80 US), I take my number 11 with me to a nearby table and wait for one minute before my Sprite in a chilled pint glass with crushed ice is served by a smiley waiter – elevated fast food. Three minutes later, my burger and fries arrive displayed nicely in a paper cone of sorts – stacked with a soft, fluffy bun, fresh sliced tomato, spicy sauce and jalapenos with mild heat, and juicy, quality meat. My expectations are met before moving on to the fries which are crisp, brushed with salt and without a speck of grease on the paper cone they are housed in…hhhmmmm. Maybe it is that mountain air!